Switched at Birth Finale Brings a 'Surprising' Cliffhanger! Plus, Is There Hope for Bay/Emmett?

As Switched at Birth wraps up Season 1 on Monday (ABC Family, 8/7c), several relationships will be put to the test. Daphne faces the fallout from her new romance, while a glimmer of hope lingers for a reconciliation between Bay and Emmett — if she can avoid getting attacked by a violent street artist. Below, executive producer Lizzy Weiss previews the finale’s myriad entanglements, dangerous situations and shocking cliffhangers.

THE KITCHEN HEATS UP | “Every relationship that Daphne’s ever had, she has been chased. She has been adored,” says Weiss. With Chef Jeff, “this is the first time that she has absolutely fallen head over heels and she has done the chasing.” But when Daphne put herself on the line like that with her boss, she also exposed her heart and risked getting hurt. As much as the two might like each other, they are only good together “when they’re absolutely alone in each other’s company,” points out the EP. “[But] you can’t exist in a relationship in a bubble. The real world and friends and family and work do have to enter into it.” As Daphne and Jeff’s romance reaches a boiling point, “we play it for real,” adds Weiss. “We play consequences. We play people being uncomfortable with it. We just play with Daphne out of her comfort zone and making choices that are not wise.”

ON THE STREETS | As you can see in our exclusive video preview, Bay and Zarra’s confrontation with street artist Smak will come back to haunt the girls. “There is still some looming danger with Smak, and Zarra did something not too wise by coming at that guy,” maintains Weiss. “We wanted to give Bay a friend who didn’t always make the wisest choices, but she’s sort of seduced by Zarra.” Meanwhile, the Kennishes will be dealing with the aftermath of their daughter’s decision to leave home and move in with her troublemaker pal. “Katherine just wants to get her home,” previews Weiss. “Her attempt to get her home is in that more maternal way whereas John is taking up the tougher parental stance of, ‘If you come back, you’re coming back on my terms.’”

BAY AND EMMETT: TAKE TWO? | Should viewers interpret Emmett’s words in the last episode – “I don’t give up” – as a hint of things to come for him and his ex-girlfriend? “We keep that torch alive. Emmett adores Bay and feels like they’re meant to be,” says Weiss. But when it comes to a reunion, it’s not as simple as a sweeping declaration. “They have other issues besides just the Simone transgression. It’s not an easy return. But Emmett will always hold that torch for Bay.” And for fans of the couple who are still holding out hope, Weiss reveals that the exes will cross paths in a “really surprising, lovely way” in the season ender.

GOING OUT WITH A BANG | Make sure to add a buffer to your DVR’s recording because you don’t want to miss the episode’s final minutes. “It’s both a resolution and a new beginning and a cliffhanger all at once,” teases Weiss. “There is a verdict in the trial, and the verdict does shake some things up for the family. We have a surprising last moment.”